Hosiery with external welts incorporating elastic yarn



J. D. RAMBO 2,223,808

HOSIERY WITH EXTERNAL WELTS INCORPORATING ELASTIC YARN Dec. 3, 1940.

Filed April 29, 1938 Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOSIERY WITH EXTERNAL WELTS IN- CORPORATING ELASTIC YARN Application April 29, 1938, Serial No. 205,094.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to knit hosiery and it has for its object to provide one or more knit covered rubber elastic garter courses in the leg, incorporated in narrow circumferential tubular welts lying entirely on the external surface of the stocking, the purpose of the invention being to enhance the comfort of the stocking in that the covered rubber elastic does not form part of the inner surface of the knitting which makes contact with the leg, so that it does not press into the skin, and the unbroken inner surface of the knitting acts as a cushion to hold the elastic courses away from the skin.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment oi the same proceeds.

In the drawing throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure l. is a view in eievation of the upper part of a knit stocking embodying the features of the present invention:

Figure 2 is a section showing several of the external welts embodying the elastic courses;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show successive steps by which the stocking of the present invention may be made on a circular non-rib dial machine; and

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are a series of views showing successive steps in the making of the stocking of the present invention on a flat rib machine.

Referring now in detail to the several figures the numeral i represents the upper leg portion of a stocking which may be plain knit on a circular dial machine of the type indicated in Figures 3, 4 and 5 or rib knit on a flat machine of the type suggested in Figures 6, 7- and 8.

The stocking as shown is formed with one or more external narrow tubular welts 2 which begin and end at the same point, so that no part of the welt appears on the inner surface 3 of the stocking. The change of thread from the basic fabric of the stocking to the covered elastic rubber thread I takes place in the welt, the elastic courses being solely in the welt, the change from the covered rubber yarn to the basic yarn being effected before the completion of the welt.

According to the present invention there may be one or a larger number of the external welts carrying the covered rubber elastic courses and these may be placed at any desired position in the leg portion of the stocking.

Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5, in which the dial bits are represented by the reference characters 5 and the cylinder needles by 8, it will be assumedthat the welt is to be knit at a distance from the top of the stocking. The portion 1 of the knitting represents the'free part of the top of the stocking above the welt, This is made of the basic relatively inelastic yarn. Figure 4 shows that the bit 5 has withdrawn '2. course ofloops from the cylinder needles 6 and that the portion of the knitting 8 between thebits and needles is being incorporated in the welt. The change from the basic yarn to the covered elastic rubber yarn takes place in this portion of the knitting, the elastic yarn being shown dark and indicated by the reference character 9. Figure 6 shows that the bits 5 have returned the withdrawn loops to the needles 6 completing the welt 2 and that the needles have knit a further portion it of the leg of the stocking below the welt. The change of thread from covered rubber elastic to the basic yarn of the stocking was made before the com pletion of the welt as is clearly shown in Figure 5. Figures 6, 7 and 8 show the making of the same type of welt in a flat rib machine in which the needles l i pull the loops in one direction while the needles i2 pull it in the opposite direction forming the ribs. In Figure 6 the portion of the knitting it indicates the free part of the stocking leg above the welt. In Figure 7 the needles ii are stationary merely holding the knitted portion 13 while the needles l2 are knitting the part I4 which will be incorporated into the welt. The thread from the knitting is of course supplied by a carrier or carriers. not shown. The covered rubber elastic yarn is incorporated in the part M.

Figure 8 shows that the welt 2 has been completed by the needles ll resuming the knitting, the needles alternately drawing the loops in opposite directions forming the portion l5 of the stocking leg which lies below the welt. As in that form of. the invention described in connection with Figures 3, 4 and 5, the incorporation of the covered rubber elastic thread in the welt terminates before the welt is completed.

In both forms of the invention, referring to' Figures 5 and 8, it will be obvious that the welt lies altogether externally of the main web of the knitting so that the welt does not come into contact with the leg, but is cushioned by the interposition Ofxthfi main web of the knitting between the welt and the leg. This as stated enhances the comfort of the stocking by preventing the covered rubber elastic courses coming directly into contact with the leg and embedding themselves into the skin. The narrow welts also constitute a feature of adornment in the stocking. While I havein the above description disclosed 2 memos several illustrative methods 3 which the stocking of the present inventien can be made, it will be understood to s l d in the art that these do not exhaust the several ways in which such e welt can be censtzneted and all of which are tc he considered within the scope of the present in" vention defy" ed in the appended claims.

What I claim Knit hosiery including a leg portion and a plurality of integrally knit spec narrow tubular welts formed externaily of sa" eg portion, and having elastic rubber yarn knit into the tubular structure cfseid. welts, said leg portion behind seid weits censtitnting a cushion between the leg and said welts.

2. Knit hosiery including & ieg portion and a, plurality of integrally Knit spaced narrow tubular welts icrmed externally 05 said leg portion, said welts including garter courses of covered elastic rubber yarn, said leg portion constituting a. cushion between the leg and said welt.

3. Rib knit hosiery i icluding a leg portion and a plurality of integrally knit spaced narrcw tubular welts formed externally of said leg portion, said welts beginning and ending at the same course, said welts including garter courses of covered E il-P31 elastic yarn, that part of said leg id said welts forming e cushion beg and said welts.

4:. in a knitted stocking, a single ply top formed prn'icipeiiy cf inelastic yarn and having knitted integrally therewith and projecting outwardly therefrom e plurality of vertically spaced circumferentiei tubular weits knitted of elastic yarn, each welt beginning and ending at one and the same course at said top.

JOSEPH D. RAWO. 

